If you're a church person, Coram Deo might take some getting used to. Here's why: while we affirm our unity with Christ's people everywhere, we are disturbed by what passes for "church" these days. Many modern churches seem intent on preserving the religious status quo. They exist to keep people happy and content rather than to help them live a life of apprenticeship to Jesus.

You don't have to read much of the Bible to see that this isn't what Jesus had in mind. He was a revolutionary. He came proclaiming that the rule and reign of God had come. He claimed to be the King of a new Kingdom that turned the status quo on its head.

Coram Deo is a church committed to engaging culture. Just like Jesus dined with prostitutes and thieves and called them his friends, we want to pursue honest friendships with the religious "outsiders" of our day. And at the same time, if you claim to follow Jesus, we expect you to live like it.

Here are some of the differences you might sense:

We affirm the importance of thinking rightly about God, and we hold to the historic, orthodox Christian theology enshrined in the Apostles' Creed and various Protestant confessional statements. At the same time, we deny that signing off on a creed actually transforms anyone's heart. We know lots of people who embrace true theology and are still jerks. So don't expect us to be impressed with your orthodoxy if it's not making you a nicer person.

We affirm the authority, reliability, and truthfulness of the Bible as God's word. But we don't get excited about evangelical buzzwords (inerrant, verbal plenary inspiration, etc) because these words don't make anyone actually treat the Bible as sacred, holy, and truthful - which is the goal, after all.

We affirm that personal faith in Jesus and his atoning work is necessary for salvation. However, we deny that the beauty and intensity of the gospel can be reduced to a decision. The mystical, marriage-like relationship that Scripture speaks of as "union with Christ" is a life-altering, rational-yet-romantic experience... much like falling in love.

We affirm the existence of heaven and hell, and that your eternal destiny matters. At the same time, we deny an otherworldly faith that doesn't make the world a better place. If you don't care about things like global poverty, the environment, social justice, child abuse, political corruption, and so on, then what good are you doing?

There. We said it. If you're still reading, maybe you need to check out Coram Deo.